Halloween Night
by The Walking Contradiction
Summary: One shotDrabble. Halloween of 1981 rolls in the night the Potters are murdered. As their deaths loom near, James and Lily get caught in memories.


He chanced a glance at the stairs - just soon enough to see her bare feet scramble up them. He turned back to the door, careful not to let the threatening memories creep back in. But they did.

_His stomach had been in knots that entire morning. Sirius had laughed at him, and Remus assured him that he was acting like a child. Lily had been determined not to let James see her before the wedding, and it killed him inside. The ceremony was being held at Hogwarts - a place both bride and groom felt appropriate. They'd poured so much of themselves into the place, and it held so many memories for them. The grounds were decorated beautifully, and the sun reflected off the lake in a way they couldn't have planned better. People were beginning to fill the chairs, and polite chatter began drifting up from the crowd. It wasn't a large group of people - mainly just close friends - but the group was so lively that James could hear them all from his position at the doors by the castle. When McGonagall nodded to him from the crowd, James and Sirius marched forward. They had the easy job, he thought. They weren't standing on ceremony - all they had to do was take their appropriate places at the front of the makeshift church. James noticed that Sirius looked better than him, and a grin crept across his face. Sirius had always managed it, and he couldn't see why today should be any different. Sirius's cousin, Andromeda, was sitting properly on a stool behind a large piano, smiling warmly at James. He smiled back, and watched as she looked down at the keys and began playing._

Her child pranced down the aisle first. All heads turned to look at her, smiling and cooing over the girl. Her hair was long and blonde, falling in barrel curls down her back. She dropped flower petals daintily, making sure to alternate sides as she did so. Nymphadora had far too much personality for such a young girl. Bridesmaids walked through next, but James wasn't dwelling too much on them. He knew who was coming next, and that thought was consuming him. Everyone stood as the tune of the music changed, and James caught the first sight of her hair. He immediately broke into a broad, infectious smile; Lily caught his eye and returned the gesture. Her arm was looped through Remus's, her hand holding tightly to his forearm as she did so. Remus looked formal and proud, and nobody questioned why he was the one to give the girl away. As he reached the front, he lifted the veil over her face and kissed her lightly on the cheek. As he moved to hug her, he whispered in her ear and Lily smiled a shy, secret smile. Remus winked at James, and James nodded affectionately at his friend. 

Standing at the altar together, guests would notice that James and Lily looked comfortable. They looked like they were meant to be at that spot. Neither had on shoes, not even socks. Their feet were bare, and guests closer to the front would notice that James was wiggling his toes. This had caught Sirius's attention more than once, and he'd had to keep himself from laughing. 

She ran up the stairs - too frightened to look back for fear of what she might see. Her heart was beating so rapidly against her chest that she was sure it'd come tearing right out. Her hand was instinctively placed at the base of Harry's neck, careful not to jostle him too much as she ran. The rug in the hallway slipped beneath her feet, and she went sliding into the wall, sliding into memories, for a moment 

_"Come on, Lily!"  
"I'm trying."_

Her laughter rang through the night, landed on the wind and soared around through the air. The winter air was cold and biting, but neither seemed to mind it. James noticed that her face was tinged with red, particularly her nose. She almost looked like an elf in the moonlight. He was waiting for her in the center of the lake, his arms outstretched. She, on the other hand, was taking tentative steps towards him from the edge. The ice had just frozen over a few days ago, and Lily wasn't keen on testing it. James had no qualms over this, as he had played on the frozen over lake for the last seven years.

"It's frozen, Lily, the lake's not going anywhere."

He had laughed at her. She had laughed at herself. Her feet were sliding out from under her, and on more than a few occasions she found herself fighting to keep her balance. James shook his head and slid his way over to her, snaking an arm around her waist and guiding her body. She let him assume control, and balanced her weight against him. Snow fell lightly, and it was catching in his hair. She liked how it looked, and how the moisture from it was causing the ends to curl - only a girl would have noticed such things. James led them around the lake in circles and zigzags, keeping a tight grip on the girl. She closed her eyes at times, focusing on the wind and the sensation of movement without any effort on her part. She felt weightless. She felt like she was flying.

"I'm letting go.."  
"What? James, wait, no."

Her eyes had opened quickly and the peaceful look slid off her face. He'd pushed her from him, and her arms immediately went to flailing. He was watching her, amused, and shouting instructions. Her mind wasn't working, and she was bent halfway at her waist trying to keep herself from falling. Her legs were sliding away from her, and before she knew it, she was lying flat on her back and looking at the night sky.

The door flew open, and James stood ready. His face was fierce, his muscles tense. He knew what was coming, but he didn't back down from it. He'd never been one to back down from a fight, even one he knew he stood little chance of winning. At the very least, he would buy them time. A few seconds could make all the difference in the world, and he'd give it to them. The figure moved into the room, and James backed against the coffee table. The first hex had missed him, and sent a picture flying from the wall. He didn't move at the sound of the shattered glass, he sent a hex that hit the man squarely in the jaw.

The picture on the floor was of a different time, a different place. It was of different people, it  
would seem. Lily was on James's lap at a Christmas party, and James had one hand on her lap and one around her waist. He looked perfectly happy, and she looked like she was enjoying herself. She, in her Santa hat and snow boots, was laughing. There was mistletoe above them, and James kept sneaking glances up at it. This wasn't the same pair of people living in that house now. These people were carefree and in their prime. They didn't worry about the safety of their son; they didn't worry about sounds they heard at night or shadows they thought they saw.

Above, Lily heard the sounds of the squabble below. She was putting every charm, every spell on the door she could think of. In her state of panic, all she could think to do was use her wand. She'd put a Disillusionment charm on Harry and draped James's Invisibility Cloak over him. She'd silenced him and placed him in his crib, and even contemplated whether she should sit him in the closet. Her entire body was shaking and tears she was unaware of tears rolling down her cheeks.

In the next four seconds, an eerie, green, sickening glow filled the room and everything below went silent. A knot twisted in her stomach and a monster rose through her body. She could feel it in her bones - he was gone. She glared at the door, her body turning to stone. Her mind went momentarily off of the child and on to her husband. She was rooted to the spot as she listened to the footsteps walking calmly up the stairs. Her breath was rapid and her knuckles were turning white with the grip she had on her wand. She waited as he paused at the door; she was ready for him.


End file.
